A pet is an animal Animals are a major group of mostly multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently. All animals are also kept for companionship An interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on limerence, love and liking, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships take place in a great variety of contexts, such as family, friends, and enjoyment or a household animal, as opposed to wild animals Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative or to livestock Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning of "livestock" is common, laboratory animals Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments, particularly model organisms such as nematode worms, fruit flies, zebrafish, and mice. Worldwide, it is estimated that 50 to 100 million vertebrate animals are used annually, along with a great many more, working animals A working animal is an animal that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks. They may be close members of the family, such as guide dogs, or semi-domesticated animals such as logging elephants. They may also be used for milk, or at the end of their lives for meat or other products such as leather or sport animals Animals in sport are a specific form of working animals. Many animals, at least in more commercial sports, are highly trained. Two of the most common animals in sport are horses and dogs, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics, for their attractive appearance, or for their song. Pets also generally seem to provide their owners with non-trivial health benefits;[1] keeping pets has been shown to help relieve stress to those who like having animals around. There is now a medically-approved class of "therapy animals," mostly dogs, that are brought to visit confined humans. Walking a dog The dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working, hunting and companion animals in human history can provide both the owner and the dog with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction.
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Local restrictions
Many cities and towns have local ordinances limiting the number of pets a person may have, and may also restrict or forbid certain pets, such as exotics. Certain breeds of dog, such as pit bulls and rottweilers, are banned in some places. Dog/other canid/wolf mixes are also banned in some places.
In many locations, animals that are considered pets by their owners but are legally classified as livestock, including horses, pigs, camelids Camelids are members of the biological family Camelidae, the only living family in the suborder Tylopoda. Dromedaries, Bactrian Camels, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos are in this group, and fowl may be banned from being kept within the city limits or restricted to property of a certain larger size.
The cities of Berkeley Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington. The eastern city limits coincide with the county line (bordering Contra Costa County), which, California California's geography ranges from the Pacific coast to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the east, to Mojave desert areas in the southeast and the Redwood–Douglas fir forests of the northwest. The center of the state is dominated by the Central Valley, one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world. California is the most and Boulder Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the state of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimates that in 2008 the population of the city of Boulder was 94,268, while the population of the Boulder Metropolitan Statistical Area was 293,161, Colorado Colorado is nicknamed the "Centennial State" because it was admitted to the Union as the 38th state in 1876, the centennial year of the United States Declaration of Independence. Colorado is bordered on the north by Wyoming and Nebraska, on the east by Nebraska and Kansas, on the south by Oklahoma and New Mexico, and on the west by Utah have passed laws stating that people who have pets do not "own" them; rather, they are the pet's "guardian."[citation needed]
Condominium A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights associated with the individual ownership and associations and rental properties often ban all animals or animals that cannot be confined to a cage or aquarium because of the smells and noise associated with them.
Pet popularity
Around 63 percent of all U.S. households (71.1 million) are pet owners, and more than half of these households have more than one animal.[2] The two most popular pets in most Western countries have been cats and dogs. In the United States, a 2007-2008 survey showed that dog-owning households outnumbered those owning cats, but that the total number of pet cats was higher than that of dogs.[3] Combined reptiles Reptiles are animals in the class Reptilia. They are characterized by breathing air, laying tough-shelled amniotic eggs, and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. Reptiles are classically viewed as having a "cold-blooded" metabolism. They are tetrapods (either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors) are the next popular followed by birds Birds are winged, bipedal, endothermic (warm-blooded), egg-laying, vertebrate animals. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most varied of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from the 5 cm (2 in) Bee Hummingbird to the 2.75 m (9 ft) Ostrich then horses The horse is a hooved (ungulate) mammal, a subspecies of the family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today. Humans began to domesticate horses around 4000 BCE, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BCE. Although.
Choice of a pet
The average cost of a dog over its lifetime is estimated at about £20,000 (USD33,152).[4] People most commonly get pets for companionship, to protect a home or property, or because of the beauty of the animals.[5] The most common reasons for not owning a pet are lack of time, lack of suitable housing, and lack of ability to care for the pet when traveling.[5]
United States
According to the 2007-2008 Pet Owners survey:[6]
| Animal | Number of U.S. households that own a pet (millions) | Total number of pets owned in the U.S. (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| Bird | 6.0 | 15.0 |
| Cat | 38.2 | 93.6 |
| Dog | 45.6 | 77.5 |
| Equine | 3.9 | 13.3 |
| Freshwater fish | 13.3 | 171.7 |
| Saltwater fish | 0.7 | 11.2 |
| Reptile | 4.7 | 13.6 |
| Small pets | 5.3 | 15.9 |
Canada
In Canada the latest survey done by Colin Siren of Ipsos Reid it is estimated that there are 7.9 million cats and 5.9 million dogs in Canada. The survey also shows that 35% of Canadian households have a dog, while 38% have a cat, which is consistent with other surveys conducted around the world.[7]
United Kingdom
A 2007 survey by the University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a university in Bristol, England. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876. The University has an annual turnover of £347m and is the largest independent employer found that 26% of UK households owned cats and 31% owned dogs, estimating total domestic populations of approximately 10.3 million cats and 10.5 million dogs in 2006.[8] 47.2% of households with a cat had at least one person educated to degree level, compared with 38.4% of homes with dogs.[9]
Overpopulation
| The examples and perspective in this section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (February 2010) |
Animal protection advocates call attention to pet overpopulation in the United States. According to the Humane Society of the United States The Humane Society of the United States , based in Washington, D.C., is the largest animal advocacy organization in the world. In 2007, it had 10.6 million members, and a budget of US$120 million, 3-4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the country and many more are confined to cages in shelters. This situation is created by nonneutered animals (spayed Neutering, from the Latin neuter , is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. It is the most drastic surgical procedure with sterilizing purposes. The process is often used in reference to males whereas spaying is often reserved for females. Colloquially, both terms are often referred to as/castrated) reproducing and people intentionally breeding animals. A particularly problematic combination of economic hardship combined with a love of animals contributes to this problem in parts of the rural United States.[10] In an average year, a fertile cat can produce three litters of kittens, with up to 4 to 6 kittens in each litter. Based on these numbers, one female cat and her offspring could produce up to 420,000 cats over a seven year period if not spayed or neutered. There are also major overpopulation problems with other pet species, such as birds and rabbits. Local humane societies, SPCAs The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is any of a number of animal welfare organizations whose operations include protecting and providing shelter to animals in danger. The SPCAs are non-profit organizations that campaign for animal welfare and take in abused or abandoned animals, and help them to get adopted.The S.P.C.A. is a group, and other animal protection organizations urge people to neuter their pets and to adopt animals from animal shelters The goal of today's animal shelter is to provide a safe and caring environment until the animal is either reclaimed by its owner, placed in a new home, or placed with another organization.[citation needed] Many progressive shelters temperament-test animals before they are put up for adoption to determine the appropriate home environment instead of purchasing them from breeders or pet stores Less common in pet stores are larger mammals such as dogs and cats. In the UK and a large number of other European countries, dogs and cats are not sold at pet stores. Exotic pets such as Sugar Gliders, large snakes, and large parrots are available at some pet shops. Because the care of these types of animals is difficult and expensive, these are.
Effects on pets' health
Keeping animals as pets may become detrimental to their health if certain requirements are not kept. An important issue is the inappropriate feeding, which may produce clinical effects (like the consumption of chocolate Chocolate (pronounced /ˈtʃɒklɨt/ or /ˈtʃɒkəlɨt/) comprises a number of raw and processed foods produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America, with its earliest documented use around 1100 BC. The majority of the Mesoamerican people by dogs).[11] Passive smoking is another recurring problem, aggravated by the fact that fur animals groom themselves, which means taking in extra harmful substances that have landed on their fur, not just those inhaled.
Effects of pets on their caregiver's health
Health benefits
Pets have the ability to stimulate their caregivers, in particular the elderly, giving people someone to take care of, someone to exercise with, and someone to help them heal from a physically or psychologically troubled past.[12] Having a pet may help people achieve health goals, such as lowered blood pressure, or mental goals, such as decreased stress.[13][14][15][16][17][18] There is evidence that having a pet can help a person lead a longer, healthier life. In a study of 92 people hospitalized for coronary ailments, within a year 11 of the 29 without pets had died, compared to only 3 of the 52 who had pets.[12] A recent study concluded that owning a pet can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 2% and that pets are better than medication in reducing blood pressure.[citation needed] Owning a pet can also prolong survival of a heart attack.[19] Dogs which are trained to be guide dogs Guide dogs are assistance dogs trained to lead blind and vision impaired people around obstacles can help people with disabilities.
Pets in long-term care institutions
Even pet owners residing in a long-term care facility, such as a hospice or nursing home, experience health benefits from pets. Pets for nursing homes are chosen based on the size of the pet, the amount of care that the breed needs, and the population and size of the care institution.[12] Appropriate pets go through a screening process and, if it is a dog, additional training programs to become a therapy dog A therapy dog is a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, with people with learning difficulties and stressful situations such as disaster areas.[20]
Different pets require varying amounts of attention and care; for example, cats have lower maintenance requirements than dogs.[21]
Health risks
Health risks that are associated with pets include:
- Aggravation of allergies Allergy is a disorder of the immune system which is a form of hypersensitivity. Allergic reactions occur to normally harmless environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid. Strictly, allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is called type I hypersensitivity. It is characterized by and asthma Asthma, from the Greek Άσθμα , meaning gasp, is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath caused by dander Dander is material shed from the body of various animals, similar to dandruff. It may contain scales of dried skin and hair, or feathers. It is a cause of allergies in humans and fur Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensive body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal pelts which have been processed into leather or feathers Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They are among the characteristics that distinguish the extant Aves from other living groups
- Falling injuries Falling is a major cause of personal injury, especially for the elderly. Builders and miners represent worker categories representing high rates of fall injuries. The WHO estimate that 392,000 people die in falls every year.[citation needed] In 1972, Vesna Vulović survived a fall from 33,000ft without a parachute. Tripping over pets, especially dogs, causes more than 86,000 falls serious enough to prompt a trip to the emergency room each year in the United States.[22] Among elderly and disabled people, these falls have resulted in life-threatening injuries and broken bones.
- Injuries, maulings and sometimes deaths caused by pet bites and attacks
- Disease and/or parasites due to animal hygiene problems or lack of appropriate treatment (faeces and urine)
- Stress caused by behaviour of animals
- Fear or distress from animal presence or behaviour
- Spread of diseases like the fatal rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic (i.e., transmitted by animals), most commonly by a bite from an infected animal but occasionally by other forms of contact. Rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the when not properly taken care of.
Common types
While many people have kept many different species of animals in captivity over the course of human history, only a relative few have been kept long enough to be considered domesticated Domestication or taming is the process whereby a population of animals or plants, through a process of selection, becomes accustomed to human provision and control. A defining characteristic of domestication is artificial selection by humans. Some species such as the Asian Elephant, numerous members of which have for many centuries been used as. Other types of animals, notably monkeys A monkey is any cercopithecoid or platyrrhine (New World monkey) primate. All primates that are not prosimians (lemurs and tarsiers) or apes are monkeys. The 264 known extant monkey species represent two of the three groupings of simian primates (the third group being the 21 species of apes). Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent and,, have never been domesticated but are still commonly sold and kept as pets. There are also inanimate objects that have been kept as "pets", either as a form of game, or humorously (i.e. the pet rock Pet Rocks were a 1970s fad conceived in Los Gatos, California by advertising executive Gary Dahl).
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Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:32:15 GMT+00:00
of the week Deseret News Those interested in adopting a pet can visit Salt Lake County Animal Services, 511 W. 3900 South, Salt Lake City, between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm ...
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pet is unique in terms of appearance and skills After intensive training pets can also evolve to a more fearsome appearance and will be able to unlock new skills to be more powerful IMG http i518 photobucket com albums u350 jesterkai pets jpg All the pet come with a special skill and effect flex
Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:15:40 PDT
Watch Pet Airways' first commercial. Pet Airways is a pet-only airline where pets fly in the main cabin, not in cargo. A pet attendant takes ... youtube.com.
